The Poolie Bunker

I’m no fan of the pompous prince (former) but I see there is talk of stripping him of his Falklands medal. This can’t be right, by all means his mummy medals can be recinded, to be honest all jubilee medals are lucky bag awards but he earned his South Atlantic medal. Not least when he was one of the pilots rescuing the survivors off the Sir Galahad.

I was there that day and I watched those pilots in awe of their bravery. Andy Windsor earned his medal that day.

https://youtu.be/aah86CK-eI8?si=7RPAYiIqFxezKejI

You really believe he was on the 'front line'??

Just like Harry in Afghanistan!?!

I don’t ’believe it’ Neil, I know for certain that he was at Bluff Cove that day.

On the South Atlantic Medal Holders forum he has been castigated over recent weeks but this is a step too far. The overwhelming view is that he earned his medal. Most know he was part of the rescue of the Welsh Guards.

Not just my opinion. Graham was 2 Para and also a survivor of Warrenpoint. We were both part of a ‘pilgrimage’ back to the islands in 2002 and Andrew was also part of the group of 200 returning veterans. His pomposity knew no bounds so not generally well thought off but Graham also mentions Andrew’s actions at Bluff Cove.

Was he flying a Wessex…?

A Sea King

I’d seen footage of him flying off through the smoke off the Galahad but the chopper escaped me.

I’d let him keep that one medal as it’s the only thing in life he probably has earned.
Sets an odd precedent though.

I still don't believe he never had security watching over him just like Harry in Afghanistan.

If he’d got hit in the Falklands his ‘security’ would have been no use….it was a different conflict where they were not living amongst the enemy like in Afghanistan where they were.
You were just another anonymous helicopter in the air.
That said….. the whole Harry thing was a joke in my humble opinion.

Don't see how they can take this one away, fair enough take away all the unearned and honorary titles and awards but he did his bit.

whilst i agree with you he was there and is entitled to a medal he received no matter what he did. Same in any conflict or wars where some never left the barracks due to the jobs they got.

There was no ‘barracks’ there to be left in……!

Serious question Mr Snowy - what was the problem with the Ginger One in Afghanistan - I've read that some of his supposed colleagues thought he was a bit of a prick but I don't know the story - can you enlighten e, please?

Any service medals that are given out to people who have served are surely recognising that they were part of the job. Taking away his service medals are virtually saying that he wasn't there. What he does in other parts of his life have nothing to do with his service in the Falklands. If he got the medal for being there but then it was discovered that he wasn't then that would be a reason to strip him of the medal but the medal was given because he was there, simple as.
If there is evidence of everything that is being hurled at him and there is a case to answer then get him arrested and tried.

I know I'm not Snowy but I'll tell you what I know....
90% of his time there was spent in his tent playing video games....probably Call of Duty and Medal of Honour. When he did leave the camp Special Forces had recceed the route he would be taking and Special Forces accompanied him wherever he went.

Thanks Mutters. But did he ever get put at risk of harm - like Uncle Andy Pandy?

When it was his turn to go for the chippy order he got squirted with vinegar while the Special forces were having a couple of swifties in the dog and duck next door.

Don't think there were any safe places in the Falklands - respect to all who served down there for what they did at the time.

Mutley, hear me out on this as it should demonstrate the point.

On the 28th May 1982 the Argentine Air Force hit the SS Atlantic Conveyor with two exocets. The conveyor was a very large container ship which was why the Argies to this day insist the Invincible was sunk. The two have a similar radar signature.

Apart from the loss of life Conveyor was carrying helicopters; 4 x Chinooks, 6 x Wessex and 1 x Lynx. One Chinook managed to get airborne before the ship sank. These losses were a huge blow because apart from moving stores from ship to shore and thence forward as the land forces progressed, this helos were our means of transport across the islands after landing at the San Carlos bridgehead. This is the direct reason we had to move forward on the leather personnel carrier. We had to walk the 70 miles as helicopters were in short supply.

As a further consequence of these losses all remaining chopper operated way beyond their recommended hours. They were ran into the ground. There simply was not the capacity to keep one safe because the pilot was a VIP. All those pilots flew dangerous tasks daily and some were hit terminally. I could give you chapter and verse about pilots flying with dangerously heavy loads, both in terms of stores and personnel. Each and every pilot were above and beyond. I haven’t even touched on casually evacuation under fire.

Trust me because I speak first hand; the helicopter pilots were very much the unsung heroes of the war and are held in the highest of esteem by those who witnessed what those guys did.

Here’s one reference from Cedric Delves, OC of D Squadron SAS paying tribute to one pilot who saved his troops on South Georgia.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16Ctjr ... tid=wwXIfr

I understand all that but I still don't think Andrew was ever put in any danger...and I'll always think that.

Everyone down there was put in danger, even being on the ships at sea was dangerous as evidenced by the loss of the Atlantic Conveyor and HMS Sheffield.

Mutley, he was on the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible, Argentinas number one target. Had they hit it which they very nearly did quite a few times then no amount of cotton wool would have kept him safe. He also flew Exocet decoy missions which is quite literally putting himself between the ship and the missile to protect the carrier.

Everyone there was in danger. Look at how many cooks were killed for instance. A job you would presume to be safer than most. Ian Turnbull, the Hartlepool lad who was killed was one of them.

British ships sunk:
HMS Sheffield
Hms Ardent
HMS Coventry
HMS Antelope
RMS Sir Galahad
RMS Atlantic Conveyor

Ships hit but not sunk (All with people Killed)

Other British ships damaged
HMS Glasgow: Moderately damaged by an unexploded bomb.
HMS Broadsword:
HMS Argonaut:
HMS Plymouth:
RFA Sir Tristram:
HMS Glamorgan

Being in the Navy was not a healthy place to be during those early weeks and impossible to keep one person safer than others.

lets face it i,d guess the safest place in any conflict would be sat next to a royal. just why put them in the forces in the first place as its bound to cause division in the pro royals and the anti. they will not be the only family in the country who have no ex servicemen belonging to them.

Surely if you understood it all you would understand that Andrew was part of it and don't you think it's funny that no one who was there has said he was molly coddled or given special protection. Like has been said, if you are on a ship of war you are automatically in danger...........ask Nelson.
During WW2 the Royal family were offered refuge in Canada... they said no thank you. Imagine what the response to Andrew being shielded would have been when all his mates were going above and beyond with some of them not coming back. Just take yourself.... if you walked back into the pilot officers mess having just watched your best mate get killed in a horrible manner to be greeted by Andrew sat scoffing a cream tea. I know what my reaction would have been.

I agree with Mr I, I don't like Andrew one little bit BUT he did deserve his medal for what he did in the Falklands.
And remember Mutley, people are more molly coddled these days, than they were previously.

Reports saying he keeps his Falklands medal and rightly so, as Simon Weston rightly says "how can you award him a medal for doing his duty and showing courage in a time of war then years later say no you weren't brave and you didn't do your duty"?

A thread on the Falklands Vets facebook group has topped a thousand posts. Each and every one is of the same view.

I know Simom Weston quite well and this might sound controversial but AMW did more to beat the RG’s than Simon did and I know that Simon would not disagree. His heroics are more about how he dealt with his horrific injuries after returning home.

Thanks Snowy - got your DM